Spring a bit slow to get going this year with the frequent cold, unsettled conditions. But last weekend 10th-12.4.26 saw quite a few commoner summer migrants around West Fife: Willow Warbler, Swallow, Sand and House Martin, Wheatear, White Wag. Definite highight was a pair of Osprey mobbing a Gos.

13/03/26 A rare trip out of W Fife, I couldn't resist the report of Taiga and Tundra Beans together at Letham. Probably like many Fife birders this weekend, I went down the internet rabbit hole on Bean ID. To confuse things, the bird with the pro-Taiga features is small, presumably female.

04/03/26 Got the vis mig underway for 2026 at FH last few days with signs of spring passsage. I'm also including observations from St Mags Marsh as its next door. A visit there with J Nadin on a calm morning saw some obvious movement. www.trektellen.org/count/view/1...

22/02/26 Up to 3 WBD remain in the St Davids-Carlingnose area. Its easy to get blasé about species when you get influxes and long staying birds. But.. got to make the most of it, this probably won't happen in the Upper Forth again. One bird very close in, enjoyed in the good company of J Nadin.

14/02/26 Due to diver excitement and time constraints I haven't had a chance to look into a couple of Canada Geese that I had in a field with 700 pink-feet near Otterston Loch. In with Pinks is interesting they are the carrier species for genuine vagrants.

14/02/26 The White-billed Diver madness continues. I was happy enough to see one on Thursday but today 3 different birds could be seen with one sweep of the scope across the bay.

An uprecendented influx of White-billed Divers along the E coast of Scotland the past week, at least 10 birds. No doubt driven in by constant strong easterlies. So a local WBD was on my radar, but you never really think it will happen.... dreams can come true though. Carlingnose Point 12/02/26

08/02/2026 A paultry number in the context of the big influx into the UK lately, but I was pleased to see 3 Russian White-fronts at the W end of Loch Fitty. In fact, I'm always pleased to see anything slightly different there as dosen't seem to happen that often despite being a nice looking site.

6/2/26 The frequent E storms brought small numbers of Little Auks into the Forth which I was doing a good job of avoiding. So, nice to finally see one past Pettycur. Also 5 Little Gulls lingering.

A fairly quiet start to the year for me. At least one Water Pipit still at St Mags Marsh early in the month (suspect 2). The cold snap early in Jan froze over lots of lochs but as usual, Kinghorn Loch stayed mainly open and had decent numbers of ducks. A couple of Greater Scaup but nothing rarer.

The year closed fairly out fairly quietly. A typical late Dec arrival of Scandi Herring Gulls at a few W Fife sites. Late skuas at Kinghorn: Juv Arctic on 19th and Bonxie on 21st. Water Pipit around St Mags Marsh until at least 20th.

03/12/25 Water Pipit still around St Margarets Marsh. Hard to see as often on pools hidden by reeds. At one point I got lucky when it flew up into a tree.

29/11/25 Pettycur/Kinghorn A suitable wind out of the North, but rather late in the season. So it was a big suprise to get a Juvenile Long-tailed Skua, my latest ever. A look on Trektellen indicates records aren't that unusual in the 2nd half of Nov in European waters, but hardly any in Dec.

25/11/25 St Margarets Marsh delivers again with nice views of a Water Pipit on the seawall. I've now had this species here each winter since 2023-2024, perhaps even the same individual as they are known for site fidelity.

Time to start looking at my winter patch at St Margarets Marsh. A good start with the 3rd Cettis Warbler for Fife. The first Fife record in 2021 was quickly followed by the 2nd, also at St Mags, in 2022.

Autumn migration pretty much done now at Ferry Hills. If the 14th November turns out to be my last visit of the year it was a decent finish, with divers and kittiwakes heading overland for the W coast. A few Little Gulls hiding in the Kitt flocks too. www.trektellen.org/count/view/1...

Early November has started in the same quiet vain as late Oct although a drizzly day on the 8th was brightened up by 7 big, pale Bullfinches at Ferry Hills showing features of Northern birds. Coincided with a few down the E coast/N Isles.

Second half of October was hard work on the vis mig front at Ferry Hills. Often a really good time but a bit pedestrian this year. 10 Taiga Bean Geese on 25th was nice to see. I expect them annually on route to Slamannan Plateau but still a rare bird in Fife.

20/10/2025 Some Annual Leave meant I could make my first visit of the year to the the E Neuk. The promising migrant weather had a lot to do with; E winds and heavy overnight rain followed by a calm morning. Not a big fall but I enjoyed close views of Eastern Lesser Whitethroat and YBW.

An influx of Pom Skuas into the Forth has been very enjoybale, starting from around the 13th October and culminating for me with an awesome flock of 21 at Ferry Hills on 18th. www.trektellen.org/count/view/1...

11/10/2025 Good variety on the move at Ferry Hills including a vocal Pectoral Sandpiper. www.trektellen.org/count/view/1...

5/10/25 A fairly small, dark, square headed and small billed Canada Goose with a normal Canada in a flock of 350 Greylag at the E end of Loch Gelly. In terms of carrier species, probably better if it had been with the 1000+ Pinks at the other end of the loch, but still an interesting looking bird.

4/10/15 Kinghorn/Pettycur Morning after the passing of storm Amy. Generally not much happening during the seawatch but two birds made it more than worthwhile; Leach's Petrel and a migrating Taiga Bean Goose battling into the wind.

IOW Trip 22/9-25/9 The best was saved to last, literally, in my last few hours spent at St Catherines Point, one of my favourite Island spots. I almost stepped on a cracking Wryneck which proceeded to give great views. Two Juv Hobby hawking insects added to a nice finish to the week.

22/9-25/9 A long overdue return trip to my native Isle of Wight to do some birding with the bro @jonsparshott.bsky.social Good company, stunning scenery and plenty of migration. What's not to like? We didn't find the big one but plenty to see.

14/9/25 was the best day of the autumn (so far). A certain amount of anticipation because of the classic conditons; a calm window between weather systems. It didn't disappoint. www.trektellen.org/count/view/1...

1st half of Sept sees some changes in the make up of migrating passerines at Ferry Hills. Tree Pipits on the way out (high of 20 on 2nd) and Meadows heading for their peak (high of 1260 on 13th). Small numbers of Spotted Flycatcher passing through although peak was in late August with 5.

Early Sept has seen some quality seabirds at Ferry Hills topped by the sites first ever Sabines Gull, a stunning adult inland with a flock of 17 Kittiwake on 6th. You get a few in the Forth after E winds most years, but to see one on overland migration was next level.

Ferry Hills continues to be steady, Tree Pipits starting to drop off as we head towards Sept and Mipits increasing. Siskins have started to increase in numbers (236 on 30/8). A very close 1st CY Osprey being mobbed by a Raven was a fine sight on 23/8.

A week's holiday 23rd-31st August where I ended up spending a lot of time hoping the E Neuk Bridled Tern might make it up the Forth to Kinghorn/Pettycur. This area is very good for staging terns in the autumn and there were plenty to look through with 200+ Common Tern present at times.

17/08/25 A change from vis mig with a visit to Stenhouse Marsh. A 1st W White Wagtail looking very pale and clean compared to the numerous Pied Wags. 16 snipe and 4 Black-tailed Godwit. The White Wag and godwits certainly on route from Iceland and the snipe likely to be to.

Not as busy as last weekend but steady passage at Ferry Hills. Two locally uncommon species: Juvenile Marsh Harrier through on 11th and Yellow Wag on 14th.

10/08/2025 The first really big day of the autumn at Ferry Hills. I did the morning shift with 480 tree pipit the major highlight. Second highest UK count, the Hills has the record, set last August with 926. Further highights were 77 xbill and and a summer BT Diver.

Vis mig at Ferry Hills during July has been ticking over without any really big days. The good year for Xbills continues with peak monthly count of 62. Tree Pipits starting to pick up, peak of 22. First 3 Arctic Skuas of the autumn W inland.

1/8/25 Cory's Shearwater lingering off Kinghorn this PM. Scope views better than these ropey shots suggest, the under primaries looked extensively dark so nothing to suggest anything rarer. Very pleased to see it though.

The water levels at Stenhouse Marsh look great for waders. Hopefully good timing as the wader passage ramps up. 2 Green Sand and a Common Sand today (plus first Common Snipe last weekend).

Due to domestic reasons I don't often get to do Nocturnal birding these days. But I had an opportunity to look for Nightjar and had my first sight and sound of these amazing birds in Scotland. Plus Woodcock are always good value, up to three birds were flying around together.

The first Tree Pipit of the autumn went over Ferry Hills on 20th June, while four on 30th included two obliging birds that landed on the access track. Ringing at the Hills has shown most early season birds are Juvs. Numbers will peak in August.

Second half of June continues to be decent for vis mig. The big year for crossbill and siskin continues. Site record of 129 xbill at Ferry Hills on 20th with 2nd highest of 123 on 29th. 153 Siskin 20th.

The first half of June has been more interesting than May for vis mig at Ferry Hills. An eclectic mix of late north bound migrants, failed breeders, and early completion breeders. The crossbill influx continues with regular counts of 30-40, now increasingly joined by siskins.

1/6/25 A visit to Vane Farm, Loch Leven. Signs of moult gatherings starting for the male diving ducks. Can be a good time to pick out something rarer like Lesser Scaup and Ring-necked Duck, but the closest i got was this hybrid Tufty x Pochard at Carden Flood.

Vis mig has been hard work this spring, conventional spring migration is just about over. But, there are always a few species on the move. The main theme at Ferry Hills lately has been moult migration of Greylags and the beginnings of Crossbill movement.

A few days staying out in the E Neuk of Fife didn't coincide with the best of weather conditions. Fortunately one day was bright and sunny to allow the main aim of getting my wife some beach combing time at Kingsbarns. Some casual scanning turned up some decent birds including RT and GN Divers.

11/05/2025 The calm, warm weather is nice to be out in but it's keeping things quiet on the migration front. But you can rely on May to throw up surprises. While birding St Margarets Marsh, two stunning summer Black-throated Diver flew in from the E and landed on the Forth.

2/5/25 Fancied a change from Vis Mig and caught up with one of up to three White-Winged Scoter that have wintered in the area between E Weymss and Leven and a male Surf. Really nice views in excellent light.

27/4/25 Bean Goose update. The four birds that I had flying up the Forth at Ferry Hills in the morning were located on the deck at Stenhouse Reservoir, Burntisland, just inland of the Forth in the PM and confirmed as Tundra.

Nothing as good as the Anstruther Woodchat Shrike (Fourth Fife record first since 2002) but 4 Bean Goose sp that came in from the E and then went N at Ferry Hills this morning were a surprise, especially for the late spring date.

18/04/25 A visit to Stenhouse Resevoir near Burntisland produced highlights of a crisp looking White Wagtail and a Greenshank. Its diffcult to find good habitat for passage waders in W Fife but the water levels here look promising.

The summer visitors always take a while to reach us up here but slowly but surely they are arriving now. A singing Gropper was nice suprise 18/4/25 auldible from the bathroom window when I got up. The scubby SUDS pond next to our house is a bit of an oasis for birds in suburban Dunfermline.

Very poor record of the young female mentioned in the last post. Traditionally, March is thought of as the peak time for territorial activity. I often find first half of April is good for Gos in Fife, perhaps reflecting a slighty later breeding season compared to further south.